This product contains final estimates of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, non-Indigenous and total populations of Australia at 30 June 2011, for various geographies.

Estimates are disaggregated by age (5-year age groups, with some single year of age data available) and sex for state and territory, Remoteness Areas and Indigenous Regions. Only total estimates for Statistical Areas Level 2 are available.

The estimates of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous populations presented in this publication are based on 2011 Census of Population and Housing counts adjusted for net undercount as measured by the Post Enumeration Survey. The extent of undercoverage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians in the 2011 Census and the relatively small sample size of the Post Enumeration Survey to adjust for that undercoverage means the estimates should be interpreted with a degree of caution.

Description of the methods used to produce the estimates are contained in the technical note in this product.

Single year of age population estimates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for 30 June 2011 should be used with caution. The estimates are subject to errors that cannot be comprehensively adjusted for within the population estimates compilation process, given the limited ability to estimate Census undercount by Indigenous status and other demographic characteristics. Features present in single year of age Census counts may be likely to appear in population estimates even after adjustments for undercount and other factors have been applied. The ABS recommends that five year age groups should be used in preference to single year of age data wherever possible, particularly for states and territories with relatively small Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations.

INQUIRIES

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070.

Of the states and territories, the largest populations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians lived in New South Wales (208,500 people) and Queensland (189,000 people). The smallest population of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians lived in The Australian Capital Territory (6,200 people).

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians comprised 30% of the population of the Northern Territory, the highest proportion of any state or territory.

Estimated resident population, Indigenous status, 30 June 2011

Estimated resident population

Median age

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander

Non-Indigenous

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander

Non- Indigenous

no.

%

no.

years

years

Males

NSW

103 907

2.9

3 481 202

20.6

37.2

Vic.

23 543

0.9

2 717 416

21.1

36.3

Qld

94 082

4.2

2 139 877

20.2

36.5

SA

18 554

2.3

793 291

21.5

38.8

WA

43 731

3.7

1 141 319

22.0

36.1

Tas.

12 076

4.7

242 714

20.9

40.5

NT

34 479

28.4

87 004

23.0

35.0

ACT

3 181

1.7

179 815

21.5

33.9

Aust.(a)

333 683

3.0

10 784 551

21.1

36.8

Females

NSW

104 569

2.9

3 528 851

22.2

38.9

Vic.

23 790

0.9

2 773 068

22.2

38.2

Qld

94 872

4.2

2 147 947

21.7

37.8

SA

18 854

2.3

808 915

23.1

40.9

WA

44 539

3.8

1 123 820

22.9

37.5

Tas.

12 089

4.7

244 604

22.5

42.1

NT

34 371

31.3

75 438

24.5

34.5

ACT

2 979

1.6

182 010

22.8

35.5

Aust.(a)

336 198

3.0

10 885 592

22.5

38.5

Persons

NSW

208 476

2.9

7 010 053

21.4

38.0

Vic.

47 333

0.9

5 490 484

21.7

37.3

Qld

188 954

4.2

4 287 824

21.0

37.2

SA

37 408

2.3

1 602 206

22.3

39.8

WA

88 270

3.8

2 265 139

22.4

36.8

Tas.

24 165

4.7

487 318

21.7

41.3

NT

68 850

29.8

162 442

23.8

34.8

ACT

6 160

1.7

361 825

22.1

34.7

Aust.(a)

669 881

3.0

21 670 143

21.8

37.6

(a) Includes Other Territories.

Age structure

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population at 30 June 2011 had a younger age structure than the non-Indigenous population, with larger proportions of young people and smaller proportions of older people. The median age of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population at 30 June 2011 was 21.8 years, compared to 37.6 years for the non-Indigenous population.

Indigenous Status (individual categories)

Among the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population in 2011, 90% of people (606,200 people) identified as being of Aboriginal origin only, 6% (38,100) were of Torres Strait Islander origin only, and 4% (25,600) were of both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander origin.

Estimated resident population, Indigenous status, 30 June 2011

Aboriginal only

Torres Strait Islander only

Both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

Total Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander

Non-Indigenous

Total

no.

no.

no.

no.

no.

no.

NSW

198 920

5 723

3 833

208 476

7 010 053

7 218 529

Vic.

43 644

2 636

1 053

47 333

5 490 484

5 537 817

Qld

149 072

24 386

15 496

188 954

4 287 824

4 476 778

SA

35 483

1 253

672

37 408

1 602 206

1 639 614

WA

84 971

1 667

1 632

88 270

2 265 139

2 353 409

Tas.

21 869

1 428

868

24 165

487 318

511 483

NT

66 150

830

1 870

68 850

162 442

231 292

ACT

5 799

206

155

6 160

361 825

367 985

Aust.(a)

606 164

38 134

25 583

669 881

21 670 143

22 340 024

(a) Includes Other Territories.

Remoteness Areas

At 30 June 2011, around one-third of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people lived in Major Cities of Australia (233,100 people). A further 147,700 people lived in Inner Regional Australia and 146,100 people in Outer Regional Australia. The remainder lived in Remote Australia (51,300 people) or Very Remote Australia (91,600 people).

Unless otherwise noted, content on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 Australia Licence together with any terms, conditions and exclusions as set out in the website Copyright notice. For permission to do anything beyond the scope of this licence and copyright terms contact us.